It’s never fun when a pimple starts to resurface on your face, is it? Of course not! But what you probably dislike even more than those spiteful occurrences is having to come out of nearly $20 in skincare products trying to eliminate those little buggers, right? Exactly! So what does a single, twenty-something like myself do at the brink of an epic blemish breakout, especially when he has a special night out planned two days later? Use lemons, of course!

That’s right, you guys. The answer to all your skincare concerns can be answered in the produce aisle of your local grocer. The days of sauntering down the cosmetic aisle will be a distant memory once you’ve tried using natural skin care recipes. Even now, I rarely have a need to buy commercial products since I switched over to these natural remedies. And the star of this show is the lemon. So if you’re looking to save big bucks on your skincare routine, be sure to take a gander at these five different lemon-inspired recipes:

1. Exfoliating Sugar Scrubs

Nowadays, face scrubs are coming out to being close to $7, at least for the name-brand ones. And if you’re not a fan of some of the mysterious chemicals mixed into those scrubs, allow me to suggest a more natural and equally refreshing alternative. If you want a really fine scrub that does wonders for exfoliating your skin, I’d suggest using ½ cup castor sugar (one of the finest!) with the juice of a whole lemon (about ¼ cup) to get the desired texture. However, you can always adjust the measurements to your own personal preferences, and if you’d like your scrub to be a little more coarse, try adding in a few tablespoons of sea salt to the mix as well.

2. Facial Toners

If you’re one of the “lucky ones” to have oily or combination skin like me, then lemons will do wonders for your skin. How many times have you washed your face today already? 3…4…10 times? It stinks, right? So why not create a little toner that won’t leave your skin super oily or your skin totally depleted of it’s natural oils due to overwashing? In a small spray bottle (which you can find in plenty of Dollar Stores these days) combine 3 tablespoons of pure lemon juice with about 2 tablespoons of water. Shake it up, spray on and smooth onto the desired areas for target coverage.

3. Treating Acne

When I was in college, I used to think there was no better blemish rescue than Clearasil. And I was almost certain that it would do the trick for just about any zit-mergency I had. Boy was I wrong. Clearasil is awesome and everything, and overtime it certainly does do what it’s supposed to but I needed something more urgent and cheap. So three times a day I would apply a few drops of lemon juice to those little growing bumps with a Q-tip, and one last time before calling it a night. By morning, I noticed a significant difference in the size of the bump. This trick works for me every time, so if you ever need a go-to, on-the-spot remedy this is an awesome tip to try.

4. Facial Masks for Acne Scars

I think we’ve all had trouble with those pesky acne scars. As for me, those brightening serums from Meijer and Target did not always work well with my college student budget. But using a little bit of lactic acid and lemon juice to help diminish those scars definitely did! I know what you’re thinking, Do I really have to buy lactic acid? It’s not the easiest item to find on the market, true. This is why I’d suggest using sour cream. Don’t panic! Sour cream has an excellent source of lactic acid which will work well to form a dry mask on your skin. Using juice two teaspoons of sour cream and a few drops of lemon juice is enough to create a thin mask that will dry nicely on your entire face. (Just a tip though: Don’t apply the mask for overnight use, it does flake over time but this next tip won’t!)

5. Skin Brightening

One of my favourite personal uses for lemons is for skin brightening. Brightening doesn’t necessarily imply the actual lightening of the skin, even though lemons carry a natural bleaching agent in its juices, but more so for invigorating the skin, giving it a healthy shine and luminous glow. Whenever I want to maintain a glowing tone, I use my Lemon-Charcoal mask with. You can purchase little charcoal tablets in a container of 60 for around $5, each tablet providing enough to make two masks. The charcoal helps draw out impurities in the skin while the acids from the lemon help to exfoliate and refresh the skin. Use this mask day and night for optimal results!

In what other ways have lemons or other fresh fruits and veggies helped with your own skincare regime? Share some of your skincare stories with us in the comments!!!

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Paris Close is a twentysomething with a clinical obsession with all things Jesse Bradford and Jesse Bradford-looking, which his doctor, Mindy Lahiri, says is socially acceptable. He earned his B.A. in English Literature in 2014 from Aquinas College, and his writings can be seen featured on websites emcBlue and University101. He currently writes for entertainment websites PuckerMob and Crushable, and resides in his native Michigan.